US Army selects Kopin CyberDisplay for weapon sight production

JUNE 13--The Kopin Corp. (Taunton, MA; www.kopin.com) industrial-grade CyberDisplay 640M subsystem has been selected for the integrated product test version of the Light Thermal Weapon Sight (LTWS) manufactured by Raytheon Company. Kopin, manufacturer of miniature flat-panel displays, said that the rugged 640M has been functionally integrated into the LTWS.

The subsystem converts the output from the infrared imaging electronics to a high-resolution monochrome image of pristine quality. With an operating temperature range of -40°C to +65°C in a low-power, durable package, the 640M is ideal for the spectrum of infrared imaging applications.

Developed for M-16 and M-4 rifles under the Thermal Omnibus Program, the LTWS will give soldiers the ability to detect and identify targets in day or night conditions. The combination of the CyberDisplay 640M and Raytheon's focal-plane array provides a video-like image of a thermal scene, allowing soldiers to increase their situational awareness and conduct surveillance or fire control under a variety of battlefield conditions including dust, smoke, and fog.

Production of the LTWS is expected to begin in early 2002 for domestic orders, with international opportunities to be developed. The LTWS is designed and manufactured by Raytheon's Tactical Systems business unit in Dallas, TX.

Michael Presz, vice president and general manager of Kopin's Visual Products Group, said, "In addition to military uses similar to the LTWS, the CyberDisplay 640M is ideal for a range of thermal-imaging devices, from cameras that allow firefighters to see through smoke-filled rooms to navigation equipment used by mariners navigating their way to shore at night."